When Natural Disaster Strikes

August 19, 1999

Nothing is more horrifying than being entombed alive and slowly suffocating. That is the tragic situation in northwestern Turkey in the aftermath of yet another major earthquake in the geologically unstable region that stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. More than 10,000 people are believed to be under the rubble. The confirmed death toll is almost 4,000.

The humanitarian response is always impressive after natural disaster strikes. Dozens of governments and private international agencies have rushed to help. Historic enmities between neighbors are put aside. Greece, for example, has sent rescue personnel and material assistance to Turkey. That is as it should be. Natural disasters respect no political boundaries or disputes.

Every government, every relief agency and every human being who can help should do so. No effort should be spared to help hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the earthquake and to clean up an environment endangered by earthquake-triggered chemical spills and refinery fires.

After the initial shock, there will be anger. The retribution has already begun. ``Murderers!'' blared the headline in Turkey's biggest newspaper, Hurriyet. ``Once again rotten buildings, once again thieving, unscrupulous building contractors.''

Hyperbole aside, the newspaper's frustration is understandable. Shoddy materials and nil safety standards are all too common in much of the Third World.

It is no accident that most of the structures that collapsed in Turkey are of recent vintage. Old landmarks did not fall in Istanbul and Izmit.

No one can be fully prepared for natural disasters, but countries in earthquake-prone regions should take preventive measures to save lives and minimize physical destruction.

The Japanese example is worthy of emulation. In 1995, a quake ripped through Kobe and left 5,500 dead. Poor construction of timber-frame buildings fueled fatal fires.

Building standards throughout the country were improved. Today, most Japanese families have an earthquake survival kit containing first-aid packs, batteries, torches, water and canned food. Every September, millions of Japanese take part in earthquake drills, including members of the armed forces.

After the Kobe tragedy, Japan urged all earthquake-prone countries to learn from the experience by preparing for the next one, just in case another tremor unleashes its fury.

Even worse than the earthquake would be a failure to beef up preventive measures. If the past is prologue, the homeless in the devastated areas of northwestern Turkey will move into quickly assembled and vulnerable structures.

``Nothing changes,'' said a frustrated professor of seismology at Tokyo University on Wednesday. That is a discouraging outlook. Surely those who died in the rubble this week did not perish in vain. Surely their memory will be honored in every earthquake-prone country by taking precautions.